Ford on inactive list

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Starting point guard T.J. Ford was placed on the inactive list yesterday, the result of an arm stinger he suffered on Nov. 20 in Dallas. Ford said the arm is getting better, and was hoping to play this week, but his spot on the roster was filled yesterday with the return of forward Joey Graham, who was placed on the inactive list on Nov. 4 after straining his left quad. Centre Rasho Nesterovic (sprained right ankle) and forward Jorge Garbajosa did not travel with the team for yesterday's game.

THE MITCHELL FACTOR

Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell was in one of his patented ornery moods when it was time to talk to the media following the club's workout at the Cleveland practice facility in nearby Independence, Ohio on Friday. At one point he winced when asked about forward Andrea Bargnani, directing the writer to go ask the big Italian himself.

"He's probably going to say he doesn't understand English," Mitchell said. "Andrea's smart, smarter than all of us. Andrea has figured out a way to not have to answer your questions. Hey, I don't blame him. Maybe if I start speaking my slang Georgia language, y'all wouldn't understand me. But then, knowing y'all, y'all would write what you think I said, and then I'd get in trouble. I'll do like Sammy Sosa. I'll bring an interpreter with me."

RIGHT TO PLAY

The Raptors host the first of five community partnership games this afternoon at Air Canada Centre, highlighting their work and involvement with Right To Play, an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play as a tool for the development of children in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Volunteers will be selling Right To Play key chains for a minimum $2 donation throughout the ACC today.